New challenges
by God arcs
Summary: For as long as Tatsumi could remember he had always put his comrades lives before anything else. But can he stay true to his moral conduct when he gets transferred out of the Far East branch and has to deal with the death of one of his comrades? Or will he crack under the pressure? Read to find out.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey everyone! God Arcs here with my first God Eater story.**

**It's been a while since I last played burst so I'm not if I got every ones personality right. But I'll let you guys decide.**

**Well without further delay read on.**

Year: 2072  
Location: Fenrir Far East branch, Japan.  
Tatsumi wasn't the kind of guy who got depressed easily. No matter how rough things got he never let it get to him. As a God Eater he had to put his life on the line everyday so everyone in the residential area of the Outer Ghetto could live their lives in peace. As the leader of the Defence unit he also had to ensure that everyone in his unit came back alive and would be held directly responsible for any mistakes made by the unit's members.

His schedule was almost always packed with missions. As the Aragami continued evolving and becoming stronger, his schedule became even more hectic, especially since he was a unit leader. He was currently standing inside the director's office patiently waiting for him to finish reading the file in his hand. To his right was none other than new type rookie Fredrico. There's was definitely something odd going on. He and Brendan were just on their way out for mission to find Vajra that had broken through the wall when Hibari called him back and said that Doctor Sakaki and Tsubaki wanted to see him immediately. She also said that all his missions for the day had been cancelled and Kannon would be going in his stead. Even when he asked her why he was being summoned she waved him off said it was confidential. As soon as he waved his teammates goodbye, he made his way back into the Den and headed straight for the executive floor where he met Fredrico. Apparently he had also been summoned.

"I'm sure you're both wondering why you were called here. First of all I'd like to give you both my most humble apologies for calling on such short notice" Dr Sakaki said as he placed the file on the table and gave them a smile.

"It's not a problem director" Tatsumi replied casually.

"Well since I'm pressed for time, I'll cut right straight to the point. Have you guys been watching the news lately?" Dr asked as he pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

"Huh? Uh, no not recently" Tatsumi said in slight confusion while Fredrico gave puzzled look. Now why would he ask them that? God Eaters rarely spent more than just few hours at the Den before departing on a mission, granted they all had Televisions in their rooms, but other than the local news there wasn't anything else to watch. Well there was always Bugarally, but why would that matter?

"Within the last years Fenrir has suffered quite some heavy losses. In the last three months, six of our HQ's have been destroyed by the Aragami." Dr Sakaki said. At that statement both Tatsumi and Fredrico looked visibly shocked.

"What?! Is that even possible?" Fredrico exclaimed in surprise.

"How could Fenrir lose three of its branches in such a short time" Tatsumi said in an equally shocked tone. Weren't the other branches equipped with Anti Aragami walls? He knew that those monstrosities were gaining in strength by the day. But them taking down six Fenrir branches in the span of three months wasn't a feat he thought they could make.

"Indeed. Even for them, this is an incredible feat. All of our Fenrir's branches have been equipped with Anti-Aragami wall's that are being modified on a daily basis. So how is it that Fenrir could suffer such heavy losses within such a short time?" the Doctor said with a thoughtful look as he leaned back on his seat.

"You think there's someone compromising the walls?" Tatsumi asked the director who gave him a small nod in affirmation.

"Yes. I suspect-No the Company suspects that these losses might be the work of some people who view Fenrir as an enemy. And that's where you two come in" the Director said.

"I don't understand what you mean Director. Isn't our job to fight Aragami only?" Fredrico asked with a questioning look. That was true, God Eaters didn't have any business with anti Fenrir militias. Why was the Director calling them? Before he could ponder any further he was snapped out of his reverie by the Director

"Of course, your job is to hunt Aragami, not people. And that's why-

"And that's why your both being transferred out of the branch" a female voice interrupted. Turning round they saw Tsubaki standing by the door behind them with a clipboard in one hand.

"Ah, Tsubaki. Nice of you to join us" the Director said with a smile as he regarded the newcomer.

"My apologies for not showing up sooner. I had some things to deal with" she said formally as she walked past them and stood next to the Director's table.

"Transferred? What do you mean?" Fredrico asked with a confused.

"Your transferring us out of the Far East branch?" Tatsumi asked with an equally puzzled look.

"Not long ago we received orders from the top stating that we transfer some of our God Eaters to Phoenix branch located in Italy. They're in dire need of extra muscle and as such we decided to send to you both there" Doctor Sakaki explained.

"But what about my unit, who's going to take my place?" Tatsumi asked in the most professional voice he could muster. Glancing at Fredrico he knew instantly that the young New-type wasn't okay with being transferred elsewhere. Deciding to help the guy out Tatsumi spoke out on his behalf. "If I may Director, from a strategic perspective I don't think transferring Fredrico to another branch would be a good idea" Tatsumi said hoping that logic would win. Letting out soft sight Tsubaki spoke.

"Do you think we would be sending out a unit leader and _new type_ God Eater to another branch without considering the consequences? We've already weighted down all our options and decided that you and Fredrico would be the best choices" Tsubaki explained. Well, it was worth a try.

"Don't worry about your unit, Lindow's already agreed to lead in your stead" Dr Sakaki said.

"At any rate you'll both be heading out in eighteen hours. You've both got quite a long trip ahead of you so I suggest you rest up. You're dismissed" Tsubaki said as she brought her gaze back to the clipboard and began reading some documents.  
Nodding in acknowledgement they turned round and made their way out of the office. As soon as they entered the elevator Fredrico said.

"How come we're being transferred?" Fredrico asked making no effort to hide his distress.

"I'm sure Tsubaki and the Director know what they're doing" Tatsumi said as he placed a hand on the younger man's shoulder soothingly. "It's probably for the best".

"I know they have their reasons for sending us. I know that God Eaters are supposed to be professional about these matters. But I've only been working with the Third unit for six months now, and I've made lots friends here I don't want to say goodbye to just yet" Fredrico said. Raising his head to look at his senior he continued. "And what Brendan and Kannon. I doubt either of them would be pleased if they heard you were being transferred out".

"I'm no less pleased about the situation than you are. But it's not like I could anything about it even if I wanted to" Tatsumi said calmly. Convincing as he may have looked on the outside, in truth he was even more distressed about leaving his home country than Fredrico was. It was at times like these that he was grateful that he had learned how to keep his cool no matter what the situation was. Perhaps that was why he was the only person to be given the position of unit leader aside from Lindow and Yuzuru.

"So what do we do now?" Fredrico asked in whisper. Letting out a soft sigh he spoke.

"We do our job. That's all we can do"

XXX  
"For the fifteenth time kannon. I said I forgive you" Brenden said tiredly. How many times would he have to tell her before she would be satisfied.

"I'm really, really sorry Brenden. I promise it'll never happen again!" Kannon said with an apologetic look to the older male. "No matter how many times I practice, I always end up almost killing you and Tatsumi whenever we go out on missions". Letting her shoulders slump and hunching her head down low she look abashed.  
Running a hand through his locks the young man let out an exasperated sigh. He really wished Kannon would stop being so hard on herself. Was she a horrible shot? YES, she was.  
Did one of her shots miss his head by a mere inch? Absolutely. Would he be seriously injured right now if he hadn't ducked in time? Probably. But even so, she was still his teammate. And as such, he was willing to trust her to watch his back, Even if she spent half of the time trying to get a clear shot.  
Deciding to change the subject he spoke.

"If you're so worried about screwing up while were out on missions, then why don't you check the terminal for any free missions that you can solo" Brenden said as politely as he could. In truth this was more of an attempt at getting rid of her than helping her out. Not very gentlemanly, but he was too worn out from trying to avoid attacks from both the Vajra and his "backup" at the same time to really think about that.  
Fortunately for him it worked. The gloomy expression on the young girls face was soon replaced by one of determination.

"Right. I'll do my absolute best to train hard so I can become someone you can count on" Kannon Said as she turned round walked over to the nearest vacant Terminal.  
Relieved that it worked he turned round and made his way over to elevator. Tapping the lift button it wasn't long before the machine showed with a familiar face emerging out of the elevator. A young woman with white hair and purple eyes with an eye patch covering her left eye.

"Oh hey Brenden, how was the mission?" the young white haired girl asked nonchalantly as she stepped out of the elevator.

"It was… Manageable, I guess" Brenden said. Catching to his tone she immediately knew what he was talking about.

"Let me guess. Kannon almost blew your head off _again_" Gina said with an amused smirk. Of course it was only typical of Gina to make jest of the misfortune of others.

"Yeah, it was a pretty close one this time around" Brenden said with a small frown. "The Vajra was really tough. So I was pretty worn out after we beat it".

"You must have been after all the running around you did, I bet you looked like you were having a seizure" Gina said in amusement. Trying his best to not let her teasing get to him he decided not to comment, though that didn't stop the mental image of him shaking uncontrollably while dodging attacks from a Vajra and a trigger happy Kannon who would be smiling evilly while blasting shots at him.

"Very funny Gina" Brenden said in a tone that barely concealed the sarcasm in his voice. Catching on to his annoyance Gina decided not to tease him any further and changed the subject.

"Anyway, Alisa and I are going out on a mission to the sunken grid to find a Dyaus Pita. So if you're still up for more combat feel free to join us" Gina offered.

"I think I'll pass" Brenden replied rather bluntly. After all that action he just wanted to plop on his bed and travel into a world where he couldn't be disturbed.

"Well, never mind then" she said. If she was affronted by the bluntness in his tone she certainly wasn't showing it. Stepping out of the elevator she walked past him and went over to Kannon who was so engrossed in what she was doing she failed to notice Gina and let out a startled yelp when she was tapped on the shoulder.

"Oh, hey Gina. Something the matter?" Kannon asked with a friendly smile as she turned round to face her friend.

"Oh, nothing. I was just wondering if you would be interested in accompanying me and Alisa on a mission to the Sunken Grid to fight a Dyaus Pita" Gina said. At hearing the offer an apologetic smile formed on her lips.

"Sorry Gina. But I need to get some training done. And I also don't think I'm ready to fight such a powerful Aragami" Kannon said apologetically. Sighing in defeat, the sniper wheeled round and made her way down the staircase and towards the mission counter while muttering a small "never mind".  
Turning round Brenden was about to walk into the elevator when he heard Kannon call him.

"Hey, Brenden look at this".  
"_What, is it now"_ he thought in dread as he looked over his shoulder. Was rest, really so much to ask for? "What is it Kannon?" Brenden asked half-heartedly as he walked towards Kannon who was using a terminal at the furthest end of the hallway. Judging by her tone she sounded really eager.

"Tatsumi's profile was updated" Kannon said excitedly.

"Really? Since when?" Brenden asked as he looked over shoulder and into the monitor which as kannon had said had updated Tatsumi's profile. Seeing his leader's profile being updated his interest was instantly raised.

"Probably a few minutes ago" said a familiar voice which instantly made them both turn round. It was Gina, again.

"Don't just sneak up on people like that!" Brenden said in surprise while kannon let out another loud yelp.

"Sorry about that" Gina apologised, though there was no hint of sincerity in her tone. "Anyways, I heard the Director called him and Fredrico over, for some reason. This probably has something to do with it" Gina said.

"Really, you think so?" Kannon asked curiously.

"Call it intuition" Gina replied simply.

"Oh, that-" kannon said when Brenden cut her off.

"Can we just open it" Brenden said tiredly. Remembering herself kannon turned back to the Terminal.

"Oh, right sorry". Accessing Tatsumi's public profile the screen opened.

_Tatsumi O' Mori (24)_  
_ Transferred to the Far East branch 2063_

_A member of the Defence unit and leader of the second unit. A highly competent and skilled God Eater who excels at defensive tactics. Highly adept at lunging into enemy hordes to cause confusion. Because of these qualities the hire-ups have taken an interest in him._

_He has now been promoted the rank of captain and will be transferred out of the Far East branch to join the phoenix branch located in Italy. Mr Caruso shall also be transferring out of the branch and will operate under Tatsumi's command._

They all froze in shock at reading the last sentence. That couldn't be right, Tatsumi was a unit leader, if he left then who would lead the defence unit.

_"_What do they mean "transfer"?" Kannon asked in confusion. It didn't make any sense, why would they transfer Tatsumi out of the branch when it was obvious that Aragami were becoming more and more powerful. Especially in the Far East branch. Brendan was about to reply when they heard the sound of footsteps approaching.

"Can I assume that this means you're already aware" said a feminine voice behind them. Turning round they saw Tsubaki standing behind them.

"Ah, teacher. There must be some kind of mistake here, the terminal saying that Tatsumi's transferring out" Brenden explained. Tsubaki would be able to clear this up, he was sure of it.

"There's no mistake. What you've read is true" Tsubaki replied in an air of superiority. He couldn't believe what she just said.

"What do you mean?" Kannon asked.

"I'm saying that Tatsumi is being transferred out of the Far East branch, and will be leading a unit else" Tsubaki explained calmly.

"B-But why? Tatsumi an important asset this branch!" Brenden said a little too loudly. He knew he needed to keep calm, but this was just too sudden.

"True as that may be, that doesn't make him indispensable. The phoenix Branch has suffered heavy losses and are especially low on "experienced" God Eater. As such we've decided to send him and Fredrico there". At hearing the recruits name their attention was raised.

"But why is Fredrico being sent there?" Gina asked in a formal tone. Unlike he and Kannon Gina had her kept cool quite well.

"If I may remind you, Caruso is no longer a recruit. He's private and is fully capable of fighting any Aragami"

"But, still. Who's going to lead the second unit in Tatsumi's absence?" Kannon inquired.

"Lindow will" Tsubaki said.

"Lindow?" Brenden said in surprise. True Lindow was more than capable of leading them. But that still didn't account for the fact that… Well, he wasn't Tatsumi. He knew that was hardly a descent excuse but he honestly couldn't come up with a better answer.  
Tatsumi was the heart of the second unit and was his best friend, so being told that he was being transferred out wasn't something that he was going to take lightly. It was Tatsumi who helped him overcome his fear of being killed in action. It was Tatsumi who inspired self confidence in Kannon whenever she was down. It was because of Tatsumi that he enjoyed his time in the second unit, and most of all. It was because of Tatsumi that he was still alive.  
He owed him depths that still hadn't been repaid. And if he left, those depths may never be repaid.

"But still-" Kannon objected when Tsubaki cut her off.

"The decisions already been made, I only came as an informant. He will be transferring out tomorrow, so whatever goodbyes you have to say I suggest you say them now" Tsubaki advised. And with that said she turned round and went down the staircase and out the gate leaving him and Kannon to stare at her disappearing figure with mixed feelings. After that there was a long silence between the two God Eaters.  
There were no words that could describe how he felt right. He felt absolutely hopeless right now. As much as he wanted to reject it, he knew that that wouldn't do any good. All he could do was accept it. Tatsumi was going to be transferred out of the Far East branch, and there was nothing either him or Kannon could do about it.  
Deciding to break the uncomfortable silence Gina spoke.

"I think, you guys should go see him" Gina said.

She was right, he wasn't going to accept that Tatsumi was leaving them until he heard from the young man himself. Turning his head towards Kannon he spoke.

"Your, right. I'm not going to accept it until I hear Tatsumi say it to my face" Brenden stated as he began walking towards the elevator.

"I'm coming too" Kannon said as she followed behind. Stepping into the elevator Brenden pushed the button that would them to them to Tatsumi's section.  
Watching the elevator doors close in front of them an uncomfortable silence consumed them as the elevator took them lower into the den. No matter how many times he was told he would only accept if he heard Tatsumi say it himself, and evidently it was the same case with Kannon.  
Feeling the elevators descent come to a halt the two braced themselves for what they knew would be a difficult question. Exchanging glances the two slowly stepped out of the elevator and stared at the door to Tatsumi's room. Whatever determination he had left was quickly dissolving. He suddenly felt uncharacteristically nervous, his hands were clammy. Feeling a hand on his shoulder he glanced down and saw Kannon giving him a reassuring look.

"Come on Brenden, we can't back down after coming this far" Kannon said soothingly. Giving her a nod in acknowledgement he turned his gaze back to the door.

"lets go" he said as walked up to the door and knocked on it.

**Well here it is. Please R&R.**


	2. Chapter 2: the burden of leadership

**W**Powerless. No better word could describe his feelings. Every now and then he couldn't help but wonder what it truly meant to be a God Eater. Physically enhanced humans tasked with the sole purpose of exterminating humanity's greatest enemy. Admired by some for their superior powers, and hated for it by others.  
He felt like crap right now. He was unit leader and as such he was always expected do as he was told without question. So why did he feel so hollow on the inside.  
He was currently lying in his bed staring up at the wall blankly. Even though it had only been a few minutes since he came to his room the minutes seemed to drag on like hours. Placing his hand on his sore forehead the young man let out a soft sigh. He knew that Brendan and Kannon probably already knew about his transfer since he had been receiving messages like crazy from the terminal, but even so he still couldn't bring himself to face them.  
The mere thought of being confronted by either of them sent chills down his spine, so like a rat crawling back into its hole he sought refuge within his room. Squeezing the covers tightly he let out a bitter laugh.

_"Damn, I'm so pathetic. Hiding in my room like a child. Just what kind of a leader am I?"_ Tatsumi thought in frustration. What was he so afraid of? He was God Eater, so why was he letting his emotions get the better of him? Was it because he didn't think he would be able to keep his cool if he met either Brendan or Kannon? "_Even after all the advice Lindow and Tsubaki gave me, I'm still being ruled by my emotions. Am I really cut out for this promotion"  
_ Looking back on the distant memories of his early days as a Leader he could recall being regularly given advice by Lindow. Before he could ponder any further his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a faint knocking on the door.

"Tatsumi, are you in there?" Called a familiar voice. Eyes widening in surprise his gaze immediately turned towards the door. It was Brenden.

"_Damn it. Not him" _he thought worriedly. Why did Brendan have to show up so soon? He knew he should have been stronger than this. But he just couldn't bring himself to accept it. It was too depressing.

"Tatsumi we know you're in there so just open up" Brenden said from behind the door. Taking a deep breath he stood and composed himself.

_"No use avoiding them now. I should stop acting so immaturely and face them" _Tatsumi thought as he walked up to the door. Looking down at the handle he raised a shaky hand slowly placed a finger on the open button. Taking a deep breath he pushed the button and the door slid open, revealing his two teammates. Kannon and Brendan.

"Oh hey guys. What brings you here?" Tatsumi asked with a forced smile. This really didn't suit him, he couldn't recall the last time his smiles were forced.

"Cut the act Tatsumi, we've already checked the terminal" Brenden said with a frown.

"Yeah, there's no need for you to pretend like you don't know why we're here" Kanon said in agreement. Knowing there wasn't much point in keeping up his façade he let out soft sigh and stepped aside to let them enter.

"I see, and you guys came over to confront me about it" Tatsumi said as he brought gaze down to stare at the floor. Taking a seat on the bed Brenden spoke

"I don't believe it. I refuse to accept that, not until I hear you say it to my face" Brenden said in denial. Turning his gaze back to them he spoke.

"Guys… I appreciated you wanting me to stay, but I don't want you to stay hung up over this" Tatsumi said gloomily. That was right, as much as he wanted to stay here and continue living life as he always had he knew it wouldn't help.

"But how can't we be. Tatsumi were not just going to sit by and accept it quietly" Kanon said with a sad look.

"Tsubaki already said that the decisions been made. It's not like I can just reject it" Tatsumi replied calmly. "And besides, from what we were told things are pretty bad at the Phoenix branch"

"But even so. This just doesn't sound right" Brenden said in frustration. He really didn't want to leave, and the fact that his absence would make Brenden and Kannon look so gloomy wasn't helping one bit. Heck, he was almost tempted march up to the directors and reject his orders.  
Almost, but almost never got anyone anything. He needed to maintain a clear resolve no matter what. Even with Brenden and Kannon staring at him with mixed feelings of sadness and frustration. He needed to be rational about this.

"I agree with Brenden. This was just too sudden" Kanon said.

"That's never stopped us from fulfilling our duties".

"I know but still. I'm just not comfortable with this" Kanon said as she brought her gaze to the floor. Trying to cheer up his subordinate's moods he spoke.

"Guys cheer up. It's not like I'm leaving for good. And besides, this means I'll be able to make the phoenix branch safer for people" Tatsumi said with a smile. After all it wasn't like he was being given a life sentence to prison. He would still be able to speak to them over phone calls and letters.  
Shoulders slumping in defeat any ray of hope that Kanon might have had disappeared with his words.

"Tatsumi, I just-" Brendan started when he was caught off by sound of knocking on the door.

"Hey, leader are you in there" said a young feminine voice from behind the door. Recognising the voice Tatsumi pressed the "open" button next the door. It was Annette.

"Oh hey Annette" Tatsumi greeted the new arrival.

"Tatsumi, I heard from Gina that you and Federico were being transferred out-" Annette began with worried look when she noticed the other two. Upon seeing them an apologetic look formed on her face. "Oh! Is this a bad time, I'm sorry I'll come back later" Annette said ruefully as she took a step back.

"No, it's alright Annette. I was just leaving anyway" Brenden as he got on his feet. Glancing at the younger man Tatsumi gave him sympathetic look.

"Brendan I…" Tatsumi said trailing off. He wished he knew what to say, but the only words that came to mind were apologies.

"No its, alright Tatsumi. After all, since Tsubaki and Director have already decided on it, then there's no point in complaining about it" Brenden said with a smile. Growing silent Tatsumi was at a loss for words.

"Yeah, he's right. We shouldn't be giving you such a hard time about this" kannon said in agreement as she followed Brendan out the and past Annette who gave sympathetic looks.  
He should have said something, he knew he should have. But he just watched quietly as their figures went their separate ways. Brenden walked into his room and closed the door behind him, while Kannon went into the elevator, neither sparing him as much as a glance as they left.  
Sighing softly he turned his attention towards the young new type who was staring at him with a look of uncertainty.

"I'm sorry Annette but, I need some time alone" Tatsumi said in a monotone as he turned his back to her.

"N-No its alright, I understand. I'll come back latter" the blonde said with an apologetic look before turning round and walking back to the elevator. Stepping into his room he closed the door behind him and leaned his back on the wall, allowing his body to slide down the surface and into a sitting position.

"I'm, such an idiot" he said with a bitter smile as he raised his right hand up in front of him and looked at the red armlet that would remain on his wrist for the rest of his life. People always told him to be proud of having it there back when he was a rookie. But know he couldn't help but see it as a reminder that he would be working for Fenrir for the rest of his life. To live and die a warriors death. And be mourned by only your comrade's end and up becoming another faceless person who died at the hands of the Aragami.  
He rarely ever had time to watch any TV. And aside from the Director and Tsubaki there weren't any high ranking Fenrir officials he knew of. Nor did he need to know, after all his job was only to hunt the Aragami. Nothing more nothing less. "_Geez, what's wrong with me? I should stop acting like such a child and do my job. After all, it's not like anyone here's risking their lives because they want to"._  
Walking up to his bed he picked up a small photo and examined it. Upon seeing the contents of the image a small smile played on his lips. It was an image of him of him Brenden, Kannon and Annette, they were all standing in the middle of small garden smiling cheerfully. As he recalled the picture was taken at least five months ago in In Kanon's mom's house located at the southern part of the Outer Ghetto.  
Placing the photo back on the bedside table he smiled in amusement. Looking back on that time, he could recall Kanon's embarrassment at telling them her mom wanted to meet her teammates.

"_In comparison to her mom those two are really similar" _he thought. When he said that he actually meant that Kanon only resembled her mom in physical appearance. According to Kanon her mom owned a small diner in the residential area of the outer Ghetto, where people could get meals cheap.  
Another thing that came as a surprise to him was the fact that Kanon had a little sister named Kotomi who was four years younger than her. Like her older sister she also had bright pink hair and green eyes and aside from a noticeable difference in height was almost a carbon copy of her sister. Or at least that's what she looked like. In actuality Kotomi was very different from her older sister and was more serious minded, for one thing she wasn't clumsy like her older sister and never tripped once while serving food to customers at the diner. Or at least that what Kanon's mom told him.  
Sitting back down on the bed he couldn't help but feel loneliness well up inside him. Trying his best to ignore it he lay back down on his bed and tried distract himself by thinking of something else.

"I wonder how Sakuya and Lindow are doing with their kid" he mused. It had been at least three months since Sakuya had left the Den and started living with her son in the outer Ghetto. Since she was a mother now, she was allowed to retire from her job as a God Eater.  
Feeling overwhelmed by restlessness he took a deep breath. "_This isn't working. Why is this so hard?" _Tatsumi thought in frustration as he clenched, he wanted to punch something so bad.  
This was one of the many burdens of being a leader. Aside from being a competent tactician, he also had to make his emotions where constantly supressed. Granted he was already a rational person even before he was appointed leader, but even so, sometimes his job was just too demanding. He couldn't have possibly fathomed how it must have felt for Lindow during the early years of his leadership, considering the fact that there wasn't a second or third unit and there were more members, he'd assume it was ten times as much work.

"_I wonder how Federico's doing?" he pondered. _Ever since their meeting with Doctor Sakaki and Tsubaki he hadn't heard word from the young new type and was beginning worry. Suddenly he pulled out of his thought by the sound of his cell phone beeping. Reaching into his pocket idly, he pulled it out. It was from Lindow.  
Normally, it was at this point that he would switch off the phone and place it aside, but since it was from Lindow he forced himself to read it. Clicking the "read message" button the screen was filled with text.

_Hey kid it's me, Lindow. But you probably already know that since it's from my numbers.  
Anyways I heard from everyone that you and Federico are being transferred out of the branch, and I ran into Kanon just a few moments and couldn't help but notice how sad she looked. I know that as a leader you're not allowed to show any weakness, but try not to close yourself up so much, I know through personal experience that pretending to be a tougher than you really are can be a real hassle. I know that you've probably already been told this by everyone but, feel free to talk to me if you've got anything you want to get off your chest. _

A small smile formed on his lips as he read the last sentence. It was at times like these that he was grateful, he had so many friends that cared about him. Placing his phone back into his pocket he turned his gaze towards the door.

_"Maybe I should go meet him. After all, I'm probably not going to meet anyone who understands this better than him" Tatsumi thought._

XXX blade break

Paylor Sakaki wasn't your typical doctor. No, if anything he was probably one of the most unorthodox scientist Fenrir had ever had. But even so there were very few people in Fenrir who were better researchers than him. Perhaps that was what earned the nickname "mad scientist" from one of his former associates Aisha Von Schicksal. But then again, all geniuses were different from normal people.  
Leaning back on the chair that was once used by his old friend Johannes, a soft sigh escaped his lips.

_"Did we really make the right choice_" the director thought as he rubbed his sore temple. Before he could ponder any further he was interrupted by the ringing from the Telephone. Outstretching his hand he tapped on the red button and put the phone on speaker. "Yes, what is it Hibari?" the director asked even though he already knew what is was.

"**_It seems that there's caller from the phoenix branch that wishes to speak with you Director_**" Hibari stated formally.

"Put him through" Sakaki replied.

"**_Yes sir_**". After a brief pause a voice could be heard from the other side.

"**_Ah, it's been a long time Paylor_**" said a familiar male voice that he would recognise anywhere he heard it. Adopting a less formal tone he spoke.

"Yes it has, Alston. Too long" he replied in an equally friendly voice.

"**_I must say, I'm quite amazed that you became the Director. I always thought you were more of a stargazer_**" Alston said with a small chuckle.

"Well after Johannes was killed, I was chosen by the higher ups as his replacement".

"**_Wise choice on their part. I couldn't imagine anyone else more deserving_**" Alston complemented.

"Thank you Alston" the Director replied simply.

"**_Well anyway, all that aside, I must say that I'm quite pleased with your choices_**" Alston said adopting a more professional tone. "**_These two God Eaters are exactly what we need_**".

"I'm glad you're satisfied" Sakaki said.

"**_This new type, what was his name Federico? He shows great potential as a god eater. And Captain O' Mori looks like a very capable leader… Exactly what our branch needs_**" Alston said. Suddenly their conversation was interrupted by the sound of a door opening. "**_Oh, my apologies Paylor, but it seems that I'm needed at the moment_**" Alston said apologetically.

"It's not a problem Alston, please don't let me be a distraction to you" Sakaki said dismissively as he leaned back on his seat.

"**_Perhaps we can catch up some other time, but for now I'd just like to say thank you on behalf of the Phoenix branch_**" Alston said before cutting the phone. Sighing deeply he replaced the phone and rested his arms on the table.

"_"Thank you", after all this is over "thank you" is last thing I'm ever going to hear from those two" _Sakaki thought bitterly. He could only imagine the level of disdain all the God Eaters in the Den would have for him if they ever found out about this. Suddenly he was pulled out of his reverie at the sound of the door sliding open. And unsurprisingly Tsubaki came into view. Not even bothering to acknowledge her presence the Director remained silent with his chin rested between his palms.

"I take it that you've already spoken to Doctor Peter?" Tsubaki asked as she stopped in front his table.

"This was cruel of us" Sakaki said with uncharacteristic frown. Fully aware of what he was talking about Tsubaki replied.

"There's nothing that we could have done about. Alston already has the companies backing on his experiments" Tsubaki said simply. True, no matter how much they both opposed the idea the company's decision was final.

"But even so, what he's doing is wrong" he stated. Exhaling deeply Tsubaki brought her gaze to the floor.

"Director, you and I both know that Fenrir could care less about how right or wrong something is, so long as it's profitable" Tsubaki said as she glared at the floor. "And like or not sacrifices must be made… Even if that means losing ever shred of respect Caruso and O' Mori have for us".  
Frowning the director leaned back on his seat with a resigned look.

"You do realise that agreeing to this makes us just as guilty of this crime as "he" is" Sakaki stated with a blank look.

"Yes, I do".

**Phoenix branch, Italy.**

Pulling the phone from his ear a triumphant smirk formed on Alston's lips as he rested his back on the chair of his office.

"After so many years, it's finally time to make my move".

**Well ,here it is. I had a little bit of trouble at the beginning of this chapter, but I'm really satisfied with the way it turned out.**

BTW: A lot time was focused on Tatsumi's feelings, and he sounded a little bit whiny in this chapter. But I promise he will be more in character for the next chapter.


End file.
